Ourense Information

Stretching out on the banks
of the river Miño is the city of Ourense, which maintains
its traditional link to the river through its Roman bridge. A
crossroads, the Old City preserves major historic sites, outstanding
among which is the Cathedral.

The river Miño, which
crosses the city halfway through its course, has determined the
current appearance of the provincial capital. Almost two thousand
years ago, the Romans settled in this land attracted, among other
reasons, by its thermal springs. The best-preserved legacy of
that age is “a ponte vella” (the old bridge), which
connects the banks of the Miño and which has grown to be
the symbol of the city. Preserved from the original Roman bridge
are some ashlar stones at the base. This major piece of civil
engineering was restored in the 13th and 17th centuries, giving
it its current appearance, with a pointed arch and ramps.
The capital's rich heritage can be discovered all along the streets
which make up the Old City. The arcaded Main Square was the centre
of the city's social and trading life, since it was here where
markets, festivals and all kinds of cultural and social events
were held. The City Hall building dominates the scene. Construction
dates from the end of the 19th century. It has classicist façade
with a balcony on the first floor and porches on the ground floor,
crowned by a coat of arms and a clock at the top.

Next door is the old Episcopal Palace.
This building, standing on the site of the original Roman settlement,
began to be constructed in the 12th century. Featuring prominently
among the subsequent extensions and remodelling is its baroque
façade, added in the 18th century. The premises house the
collection of the Archaeological Museum, divided into two sections:
one of archaeology, which gathers a collection of objects and
pieces of art from the Paleolithic period until the Middle Ages,
and another of fine arts.

In the area surrounding the square you
can see the church of Santa María Madre. In the baroque
style, it was built in the 18th century on the site of a previous
temple dating from 1084. Several columns with marble capitals
can still be admired from the old basilica. The current church
is composed of three bodies flanked by large towers and with coats
of arms on the pediment.

Standing over the historic quarter is the
clock tower attached to the Cathedral of San Martiño. The
cathedral was built between the 12th and 13th centuries, its consecration
coming in 1188. On the outside, the Paradise Portico, from the
13th century, is influenced by the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
and evokes that building's Glory Portico. The south door, which
gives on to plaza del Trigo, is the one which best reflects the
transition of the Romanesque to the Gothic style in which the
Cathedral was erected. The clock tower, meanwhile, is a subsequent
addition, since it dates from the 16th century, as does the west
door. Inside, the temple has a Latin cross plan, three naves and
transept with a dome base in the centre. The Main Chapel houses
a huge reredos created by Cornielis de Holanda in 1520 in which
scenes of the Virgin Mary and Jesus appear. Among the side chapels
it is worth highlighting Santo Cristo, work of Juan de Herrera
(16th century), where a Gothic Christ (14th century) is venerated.
The new cloister, the former Gothic cloister, houses the Cathedral
Museum, which contains pieces of religious art, some of them of
great value.

In these beautiful surroundings of streets
and small squares filled with fountains and the traditional "cruceiros"
(a stone cross standing on a column), we will find other outstanding
buildings. An absolute must is the palace of Oca-Valladares, considered
to be one of the most important in Galicia. Built in the 16th
century, this wonderful Renaissance mansion boasts a façade
of two floors and a central balcony, appearing on which are the
coats of arms of several noble Galician families. In 1850, the
building became the site of the Liceo Recreo, an old cultural
association in Ourense.

The church of Santa Eufemia originally
belonged to an old Jesuit convent. Work on this temple began in
the 17th century, although it was not completed until the 18th
century. From this latter period is the magnificent baroque façade,
with columns and concave shapes. The church, the biggest after
the Cathedral, has a Latin cross plan with three naves. Dominating
the church is the baroque altar with the image of Christ of la
Esperanza (18th century).

The convent of San Francisco (14th century),
declared to be a Historic-Artistic Monument, is remarkable because
of its cloister, one of the most important in Galicia. It has
a rectangular plan and 63 pointed arches, most of them supported
by doble columns. This unique and outstanding site has rich and
varied decoration, with human, animal and vegetable representations
appearing on the capitals, as well as in the spaces between the
columns.

Before drawing a journey around the city
to a close, do not forget to visit las Burgas, Ourense's famed
fountains of hot springs. The oldest is Burga de Arriba, a fountain
in the popular style of the 17th century. The Burga de Abajo,
from the 19th century, was built in the Neoclassic style, and
has three bodies and its corresponding jets. Festivals, gastronomy
and surrounding area

The best way to see Ourense and its inhabitants
is to plan your visit in February, since the provincial capital
stages one of Spain's most unusual carnival celebrations (here
called Entroido). They are known for their colour and for their
traditional carnival characters (peliqueiros), which are rooted
in old customs of the province.

Any of the establishments in Ourense's
historic quarter offers the possibility to appreciate the excellent
quality of the wines which are produced all over the province
and which, in turn, fall into four Designation of Origin categories:Ribeiro,
Valdeorras, Ribeira Sacra and Monterrei. Any one of them is a
fine accompaniment to Ourense's substantial gastronomy. Typical
dishes are octopus, meat “ó caldeiro” (beef
cooked with oil, garlic and paprika) or roast kid. Eel pie is
a speciality much in demand during spring. Emblematic cakes and
pastries of Ourense are marrón glacé (a dessert
made with chestnuts) and cañas pasteleras (cakes filled
with custard).

Geographically, Ourense provincial capital
is situated firmly on the Ruta de la Plata, a traditional route
connecting the south and north west of the Iberian Peninsula and
which was also a place pilgrims passed through on their way to
Santiago de Compostela. The rest of the province offers visits
to areas with a wealth of history. To the north, one of the most
beautiful is Sacred Ribeira, dominated by the gorge of the river
Sil and so-called because of the great many medieval monasteries
and churches preserved here.

In the southern half are the two most important
protected areas in Galicia, the Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés
Nature Reserve and O Invernadeiro Nature Reserve. The Parador
de Verín, located opposite the fortress of Monterrei, provides
the opportunity to enjoy these natural surroundings, as well as
Monterrei's historic quarter, declared to be a Historic Artistic
Site.